Redefining Restaurant Dining- Mind Over Matter

The right state of mind is important in making better dining decisions.  Try teaching your kids the techniques below to help them develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.  And adopting them yourself will make you an even better role model for better living.

Become a Food Group Guru.  Learning the foods that your children should be eating each day, and their appropriate portion sizes, will help them make healthier choices at any meal, anywhere, anytime.  Arm them with nutrition knowledge!

Moderation, Not Deprivation.  It is okay for kids to have their favorite tasty treats every now and then.  Order small portions of the most indulgent foods and larger portions of healthy ones to provide balance to their meals.  Shoot for 90% healthy foods and 10% “fun” foods.

Break Bad Habits.  Ask your children if they are really hungry for their usual after-dinner chocolate or mid-afternoon soda, or if they’re just used to having those foods at that time every day.  If not, then encourage them to pass on the treat, or suggest replacing it with healthier habits. 

Think Ahead.  Many restaurants have menus available on-line, often with nutrition information.  Identifying the better options at your family’s favorite restaurants will give them flexibility with healthy limits. 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race.  Help your children start actively listening to their instinctual hunger and fullness cues to avoid overeating.  An intuitive eating approach can help your child self-regulate their eating.

The Power of Positive Thinking.  Focusing on the healthy foods that your family enjoys is much more productive than dwelling on the ones that you think you can’t have.  A “glass half full” mentality will make a healthy lifestyle easier to maintain long-term.  Also try to avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad”, as this can distort your child’s view of them.

The Satisfaction of Sharing.  Treats, such as decadent desserts, can be shared with the whole table so that everyone can indulge without overindulging.  Some restaurants even offer family-style dining, which is an optimal feeding method for raising healthy eaters.

Dear Diary.  Food journaling is a great way to put your child’s eating habits into perspective, for you and them.  It can also offer some accountability.  Write down their food intake, physical activity, and thoughts and moods throughout the day for some insight into the impact their lifestyle has on their wellbeing.

Enjoying food in a healthy way is all about finding a balance that works for your family.  Balancing immediate pleasure with long-term health.  Balancing healthy foods with the occasional treat.  Balancing calories eaten with calories burned.  Balancing food groups at each meal.  Balancing restaurant dining with home cooking.  Balance in any area is the key to maintaining your child’s happiness and wellness throughout life– body, mind, and soul. 

Contributing Author:  Cami Ruark